Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

COVAY, Don

(b James Donald Randolph, 24 March 1936, Orangeburg SC; d 31 January 2015, Valley Stream NY) Soul singer, even more successful as a songwriter. His father was a Baptist minister who died when James was a boy. The family moved to Washington DC in the later 1940s; he sang in family gospel group the Cherry Keys, then joined secular group the Rainbows, which allegedly included Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart. He opened a live show for Little Richard, who helped him make his first single 'Bip Bop Bip' under the name Pretty Boy, released on Atlantic '57. He recorded for a bewildering number of labels; as the Goodtimers for his first minor hit 'Pony Time' '61, under his own name for minor hits on Cameo '62 and Rosemart '64; but as Don Covay and the Goodtimers 'Mercy, Mercy' made the top 40 '64: Atlantic acquired Rosemart and four R&B hits followed '64-70 including 'See Saw' (no. 5 R&B, no. 44 pop), which he co-wrote with Steve Cropper ('See Saw' was also a hit for Aretha Franklin, and he also wrote her 'Chain Of Fools'.) His biggest was on Mercury '73: 'I Was Checkin' Out But She Was Checkin' In' was top 30 pop; 'It's Better To Have (And Don't Need)' at no. 63 '74 was his last chart entry. His songs were recorded by acts as diverse as Chubby Checker, the Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf, the Small Faces, Connie Francis, and others.